Dietary intake of schizophrenic patients in Nithsdale, Scotland: case-control study
BMJ 1998; 317 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.317.7161.784 (Published 19 September 1998) Cite this as: BMJ 1998;317:784
- Robin McCreadie, director (rgmccreadie_crh@compuserve.com)a,
- Macdonald Elizabeth, research fellowa,
- Claire Blacklock, research biochemistb,
- Deepa Tilak-Singh, registrara,
- David Wiles, principal biochemistb,
- Jennifer Halliday, trainee general practitionerc,
- John Paterson, consultant biochemistb
- aDepartment of Clinical Research, Crichton Royal Hospital, Dumfries DG1 4TG
- bDepartment of Biochemistry, Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, Dumfries DG1 4AP
- cGreencroft Medical Centre (North), Greencroft Wynd, Annan DG12 6BG
- Correspondence to: Dr McCreadie
- Accepted 26 June 1998
The move to community care means that most schizophrenic patients now live outside hospital. Patients in the community are supported in various ways—for example, through drugs and nursing support. However, schizophrenic patients die early, especially from cardiovascular disease, which is promoted by an inappropriate diet.1 Are schizophrenic patients making faulty dietary choices?
Subjects, methods, and results
The study took place in Nithsdale, south west Scotland. It focused on schizophrenic patients living in accommodation provided by the Dumfries and Galloway Mental Health Association. Their position in the community had been assessed by social services as sufficiently precarious for them to need additional support. The residents, however, are encouraged to be responsible for their own domestic chores, including shopping and cooking. Each patient was matched with a normal control for sex, age, smoking status (smoker v non-smoker), and employment status—variables that affect a person's diet. All patients were unemployed.
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Daily median (range) intake of various …